Myocardial Perfusion Grade Research Articles

Amelioration of persistent left ventricular function impairment through increased plasma ascorbate levels following myocardial infarction

Purpose: Percutaneous coronary angioplasty (PCA) has been demonstrated to reduce mortality and morbidity and thereby improve the prognosis of patients undergoing acute myocardial infarctions (AMIs). However, this procedure paradoxically increases the initial damage as the result of a condition known as ‘myocardial reperfusion injury’. Oxidative stress may contribute to the mechanism of this injury. The goal of the present study was to ascertain whether high plasma ascorbate levels could ameliorate the reperfusion injuries that occur after the successful restoration of blood flow. Methods: Patients from three clinical centers of the public health system were included in the study. The groups were formed by either-sex patients with a diagnosis of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction with an indication for primary PCA. Only the patients who presented with their first myocardial infarction were enrolled. Ascorbate was administered through an infusion given prior to the restoration of the coronary flow, which was then followed by oral treatment with vitamin C (500 mg/12 hours) plus vitamin E (400 IU/day) for 84 days. The left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was determined by using cardiac magnetic resonance on days 6 and 84 following the onset of the reperfusion. In addition, the microvascular function was assessed by an angiographic evaluation using the Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) myocardial perfusion grade (TMPG). The results were grouped according to the plasma ascorbate concentration achieved immediately following the onset of reperfusion into either the HA group (high ascorbate, >1 mmol/l) or the LA group (low ascorbate, <1 mmol/l). The biochemical parameters were analyzed throughout the protocol. Results: The LVEF of the HA group was significantly higher than that of the LA group, values on day 84 in the HA group were 33% higher than those of the LA group. The amelioration of the LVEF was accompanied by an improvement in the microvascular dysfunction, after PCA, 95% of the patients in the HA group achieved a TMPG of 2–3, in the LA group only 79% of patients showed a TMPG of 2–3. Conclusions: These data are consistent with the protective effect of high plasma levels of ascorbate against the oxidative challenge caused by reperfusion injury in patients subjected to PCA following an AMI. Further studies are needed to elucidate the mechanism accounting for this beneficial antioxidant effect.

Plasma Lipoprotein-Associated Phospholipase A2 Level Is an Independent Predictor of High Thrombus Burden in Patients With Acute ST-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) is an independent risk factor for plaque rupture and atherothrombotic events. However, the associations between serum Lp-PLA2 level and thrombus burden in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients remain unknown.We consecutively enrolled 351 STEMI patients who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI). Patients were assigned to a high thrombus burden (HTB) group (n = 230) and a low thrombus burden (LTB) group (n = 121). Baseline data were recorded during hospital admission. Plasma Lp-PLA2 concentration, coronary angiography results, and in-hospital mortality were measured. Plasma Lp-PLA2 level had a high correlation with thrombus burden score (TBS) before pPCI and it was found to be a significant independent predictor of HTB in STEMI patients (P < 0.05). Moreover, TBS, corrected thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) frame count (cTFC), and plasma Lp-PLA2 level after pPCI in patients with HTB were significantly higher than those in patients with LTB (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, TIMI flow grade (TFG) and TIMI myocardial perfusion grade (TMPG) of HTB patients were markedly lower than those of LTB patients (P < 0.05). Additionally, correlations of plasma Lp-PLA2 level before pPCI with TFG before pPCI and TBS, cTFC, and TMPG after pPCI were modest (P < 0.05). However, the associations of plasma Lp-PLA2 level after pPCI with TFG, TBS, cTFC and TMPG were low (P < 0.05).These results demonstrated that the plasma Lp-PLA2 level before pPCI is an independent predictor of HTB in STEMI patients, resulting in modestly predicting blood flow and myocardial perfusion of the culprit artery.

Relation of Angiographic Thrombus Burden with Severity of Coronary Artery Disease in Patients with ST Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

BackgroundWe planned to investigate the relationship of thrombus burden with SYNTAX score in patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).Material/MethodsWe retrospectively enrolled 780 patients who underwent PPCI in our clinic due to STEMI. Clinical, laboratory, and demographic properties of the patients were recorded. Angiographic coronary thrombus burden was classified using thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) thrombus grades.ResultsPatients with high thrombus burden were older, with higher diabetes prevalence longer pain to balloon time, higher leukocyte count, higher admission troponin, and admission CK-MB concentrations. SYNTAX score was higher and myocardial perfusion grades were lower in patients with high thrombus burden. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed SYNTAX score as the strongest predictor of thrombus burden. ROC analysis demonstrated a sensitivity of 75.5%, specificity of 61.2%, and cut-off value of >14 (area under the curve (AUC): 0.702; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.773–0.874;P<0.001) for high thrombus burden.ConclusionsSYNTAX score may have additional value in predicting higher thrombus burden besides being a marker of coronary artery disease severity and complexity.

Effects of pretreatment with recombinant human B-type natriuretic peptide on infarct size in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention

To investigate whether the administration of recombinant human B-type natriuretic peptide (rhBNP) before primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) could further limit the infract size, improve left ventricular function, and alleviate cardiac dilation in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI). A total of 93 consecutive patients presenting chest pain within 12 hours from the onset, suspicious of first STEMI located at anterior wall undergoing primary PCI, were eligible for enrollment and randomly assigned to either rhBNP group (rhBNP administration starting at 5 min before PCI, 1.5 µg/kg bolus intravenous injection followed by 0.007 5-0.03 µg·kg(-1)·min(-1) for up to 120 hours, n=48) or nitroglycerin (NIT) group (NIT treatment starting at 5 min before PCI, 10-100 µg/min intravenous infusion for 120 hours, n=45). Primary PCI was performed in both groups using post-conditioning (PC) technique. TIMI flow grade, corrected TIMI frame count, and TIMI myocardial perfusion grade were compared between the two groups at the time of infarct related artery (IRA) re-patency. The levels of serum creatine kinase MB isoenzyme (CK-MB) and troponin I (TnI) were measured. Echocardiography was performed at baseline 7 days and 6 months later. Baseline characteristics were similar between the two groups. The percentage of TIMI grade 3 and TIMI myocardial perfusion grade 3 after PCI both tended to be higher in rhBNP group than those in NIT group (95.8%(46/48) vs. 86.7%(39/45), P=0.162) and (72.9%(35/48) vs. 62.2%(28/45), P=0.500). The corrected TIMI frame count was significantly decreased in rhBNP group (21.0±8.7 vs. 28.2±14.8, P=0.005). The myocardial infarct size expressed as the AUC of CK-MB ((3 249±1 101) U/L vs. (4 474±1 661)U/L, P=0.010) or AUC of TnI ((3 670±942) µg/L vs. (4 541±1 098) µg/L, P=0.021) was significantly decreased in rhBNP group compared with those in NIT group. At 7 days after primary PCI, the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) tended to be higher (P>0.05), while the E/e' index and wall motion score index (WMSI) ((11.95±3.31 vs. 14.60±4.09, P=0.030) and (1.74±0.17 vs. 2.40±0.55, P<0.001)) were significantly improved in rhBNP group compared with those in NIT group. BNP level was also significantly lower in rhBNP group compared that in NIT group ((68.3±37.8) ng/L vs. (129.4±64.4) ng/L, P<0.001). During 6-month follow-up, LVEF and WMSI were significantly improved in rhBNP group compared those in NIT group(51.7%±12.7% vs. 46.9%±9.6%, P=0.024 and 1.69±0.35 vs. 1.92±0.47, P=0.020). Administration of rhBNP before PCI with post-conditioning procedure can further improve myocardial perfusion, limit myocardial infarct size, ameliorate cardiac dysfunction and postpone left ventricular early-stage and long-term remodeling in STEMI patients undergoing primary PCI.

Frame counting improves the assessment of post-reperfusion microvascular patency by TIMI myocardial perfusion grade: Evidence from cardiac magnetic resonance imaging

BackgroundQuantitative modification of TIMI myocardial perfusion grade (TMPG) by the method of frame counting may improve its sensitivity and the false negative rate for post-reperfusion microvascular dysfunction (MVD) in ST segment-elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients. MethodsThe durations of contrast-washout from infarction area of 139 patients were measured by counting the cine-frame numbers between the appearance and disappearance of myocardial blush. The achieved new index, TMP Frame Counting (TMP-FC) was referenced by cardiac magnetic resonance, by which MVD was defined as microvascular obstruction on gadolinium late-enhancement imaging. ResultsMedian TMP-FC differed significantly between patients with and without MVD (126 frames, IQR 105-160 vs. 86 frames, IQR 75-100, p<0.001). By receiver-operating characteristic analysis, the cutoff of TMP-FC at ≥95.5 frames represented an independent predictor of MVD (OR=11.61, p<0.001). TMP-FC had similar specificity (75%) and positive predictive value (88%), but significantly improved sensitivity (85.3%) and negative predictive value (70.2%) for MVD compared with TMPG (88.6%, 86.5%, 33.7% and 38.2%, respectively) and other traditional angiographic assessments, leading to a better overall accuracy (area under the curve: 0.801 compared with 0.612 from TMPG, p<0.001) for the evaluation of microvascular patency. TMP-FC was positively correlated with MVD extent (r=0.5, p<0.001). Abnormal TMP-FC was associated with larger infarction size (28.67±13.72% vs. 16.51±10.68% of left ventricular mass, p<0.001) and lower LVEF (49.37±11.06% vs. 56.84±9.72%, p<0.001). ConclusionFrame counting can improve the accuracy of TMPG for MVD. Moreover, TMP-FC is correlated with the degree of MVD and cardiac detriments, which is useful for risk stratification.

Calculation of Coronary Angiographic Total Blush in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease and its Prognostic Implication.

Background:Myocardial perfusion grade (MPG) is an accepted method of evaluating myocardial perfusion. However, it does not take into the account, the extent of the perfusion. We hypothesized that myocardial blush area times MPG (total blush) would be more accurate than simple MPG, and yield better prognostic information.Methods:About 34 patients were recruited after they had consented to both coronary angiography (CAG) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), and divided into two groups. A special dedicated computer was employed to calculate the total blush. The CAG was performed as a conventional way. Scintigraphic technetium 99m methoxyisobutyl-isonitrile rest and stress images were evaluated quantitatively. The comparison was made between stenosis versus chronic total occlusion (CTO), MPG 1, 2 versus MPG 3, percutaneous intervention (PCI) successful versus failure. A correlation was made between ejection fraction (EF) and myocardial perfusion by MPG, total blush, SPECT, and syntax score.Results:The perfusion indices of total blush, summed difference score (SDS) and syntax score were insignificant between the two groups (P > 0.05). However, the left ventricular end diastolic volume was significantly larger in CTO (P < 0.05). The patients with stenosis had better MPG than with CTO (P < 0.05). The increased MPG was associated with increased total blush, higher syntax score, and EF (P < 0.05). Successful PCI resulted in better perfusion indicated by increased total blush, and MPG (P < 0.05) but successful PCI did not change syntax score, EF and SDS significantly. Multivariate linear analysis with EF as the dependent factor and syntax score, SDS, total blush, blush area, and MPG as the independent factors showed a significantly higher degree of correlation (R = 0.87, P < 0.05).Conclusion:After PCI the total blush and EF improved significantly indicating its potential application in the future.

Myocardial perfusion grade predicts final infarct size and left ventricular function in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction treated with a pharmaco-invasive strategy (thrombolysis and early angioplasty).

Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) usually restores TIMI 3 flow in the occluded artery, but microvascular impairment may persist in >30% of patients. Less is known about microvascular reperfusion in STEMI patients treated with thrombolysis followed by early PCI. We aimed to assess the association between TIMI myocardial perfusion (TMP) at the end of the PCI procedure and left ventricular function (LVEF) and infarct size after three months in such patients. Patients with STEMI treated with thrombolysis and early PCI were included. TMP grade was assessed at the end of the PCI procedure, and MRI was performed after three months. Of the 89 patients included, 92% (n=82) had TIMI 3 flow at the end of the PCI procedure, while only 62% (n=55) had TMP grade 2 or 3. Patients with TMP grade 2-3 had significantly higher LVEF (59% [53-67] vs. 50% [41-56], p<0.0001) and smaller infarct size (8.3 ml [2.7-15.5] vs. 20.7 ml [13.0-36.0], p<0,0001) after three months. In STEMI patients treated with thrombolysis and early PCI, the TMP grade at the end of the PCI procedure was significantly associated with LVEF and infarct size after three months.

Early Administration of Intracoronary Nitroprusside Compared with Thrombus Aspiration in Myocardial Perfusion for Acute Myocardial Infarction: A 3-Year Clinical Follow-Up Study.

Intracoronary nitroprusside and thrombus aspiration have been demonstrated to improve myocardial perfusion during percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) for ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) However, no long-term clinical studies have been performed comparing these approaches. A single medical center retrospective study was conducted to evaluate the effects of intracoronary nitroprusside administration before slow/no-reflow phenomena versus thrombus aspiration during primary PCI. Forty-three consecutive patients with STEMI were enrolled in the intracoronary nitroprusside treatment group. One hundred twenty-four consecutive STEMI patients who received thrombus aspiration were enrolled; ninety-seven consecutive STEMI patients who did not receive either thrombus aspiration or intracoronary nitroprusside treatment were enrolled and served as control subjects. Patients with cardiogenic shock, who had received platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor, or intra-aortic balloon pump insertion were excluded. Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) flow grade, corrected TIMI frame count and TIMI myocardial perfusion grade (TMPG) were assessed prior to and following PCI by two independent cardiologists blinded to the procedures. The rate of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) at 30 days, 1 year, and 3 years after study enrollment as a composite of recurrent myocardial infarction, target-vessel revascularization, and cardiac death were recorded. The control group had a significantly lower pre-PCI TIMI flow (≤ 1; 49.5% vs. 69.8% vs. 77.4%; p = < 0.001) compared with the nitroprusside and thrombus aspiration groups. The thrombus aspiration group had a significantly higher pre-PCI thrombus score (> 4; 98.4% vs. 88.4% vs. 74.3%; p = < 0.001) and post-PCI TMPG (3; 39.5% vs. 16.3% vs. 20.6%; p = 0.001) compared with the nitroprusside and control groups. No significant differences were noted in the post-PCI thrombus score, 30-day, 1-year and 3-year MACE rate, and Kaplan-Meier curve among 3 groups of patients. Although thrombus aspiration provided improved TMPG compared with early administration of intracoronary nitroprusside and neither of both during primary PCI, it did not have a significant impact on 30-day, 1-year and 3-year MACE rate. Acute myocardial infarction; Intracoronary nitroprusside; Thrombus aspiration.

Bivalirudin plus loading dose of cilostazol-based triple-antiplatelet in treatment of non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction following percutaneous coronary intervention.

ObjectiveTo study the effect of bivalirudin plus loading dose of cilostazol-based triple-antiplatelet therapy strategy in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).MethodsOne hundred and fifty-three patients with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction who underwent PCI were divided into control group and cilostazol group. Patients in control group were given aspirin and clopidogrel and those in cilostazol group were given aspirin, clopidogrel, and cilostazol once 2 hours before PCI and for 30 days after PCI. Bivalirudin was given to all patients before and during the PCI.ResultsAfter PCI, the Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction myocardial perfusion grade (TMPG) III in cilostazol group was higher than that in control group (89.19% versus 72.15%, P<0.05). At 30 days, the incidence of major adverse cardiac events was significantly lower in cilostazol group compared with that in control group (6.76% versus 17.72%, P<0.05). However, the rates of cardiac death, nonfatal reinfarction, target vessel revascularization, new congestive heart failure, and subacute stent thrombosis did not significantly differ between the two groups. In addition, the rates of minor or major bleeding or thrombocytopenia did not significantly differ between the two groups.ConclusionBivalirudin plus loading dose of cilostazol-based triple-antiplatelet therapy strategy in PCI increased TMPG III, decreased major adverse cardiac events, and did not increase the incidence of bleeding and thrombocytopenia.

Intracoronary administration of anisodamine and nicorandil in individuals undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention for acute inferior myocardial infarction: A randomized factorial trial.

In acute inferior myocardial infarction (AIMI), numerous conventional drugs that are used to improve the myocardial microcirculation can significantly reduce blood pressure (BP) and coronary perfusion pressure, aggravate bradyarrhythmia and cause a deterioration in the hemodynamic state of the whole body, which greatly limits the application of these drugs in clinical settings. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of anisodamine and nicorandil regimens on the prevention of no-reflow (NR) and the amelioration of myocardial reperfusion in patients with AIMI undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). A total of 104 consecutive patients with AIMI were included in this study and randomly assigned to one of four groups: A (control group), B (anisodamine group), C (nicorandil group) and D (anisodamine and nicorandil group). Patients underwent PCI via transradial artery access and the angiographic results were evaluated. Coronary diastolic BP (DBP) and systolic and mean BPs were measured by invasive catheterization. The primary end-point was a post-PCI Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) myocardial perfusion grade (TMPG) of 3. Composite end-points (mortality + new MI + target vessel revascularization) were evaluated during the hospital stay and 30 days after discharge. Following the procedure, the proportion of patients achieving TMPG 3 was significantly higher in group D than that in the other groups (P=0.014); furthermore, the incidence of a postprocedural TIMI score of 3 was the highest in group D. Three days after the procedure, the peak creatine kinase-MB and cardiac troponin I levels were the lowest and the left ventricular ejection fraction was the highest in group D. A thrombus score of 3/4 and low DBP were the independent risk factors for poor myocardial reperfusion (expressed as TMPG <3), while 2 mg anisodamine plus 2 mg nicorandil prior to PCI was protective for optimal myocardial reperfusion following the procedure. The combination of anisodamine and nicorandil can effectively ameliorate myocardial reperfusion and protect cardiac function in patients with AIMI undergoing primary PCI.

Effect of stress-induced hyperglycemia on myocardial perfusion and prognosis in elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention

Objective To investigate the effect of stress-induced hyperglycemia (SHG) on myocardial perfusion and clinical prognosis in elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods 348 elderly patients with first-time occurrence of acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) who underwent primary PCI within 12 hours from June 2008 to June 2010 were enrolled and followed up. All patients were divided into three groups according to serum glucose (SG) on admission: normal group (SG 11.1 mmol/L, n=108). Myocardial perfusion indexes, including ST segment resolution (STR), TIMI myocardial perfusion grade (TMPG), peak value of creatine kinase CK-MB, left ventricular ejection (LVEF), and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) of patients in three groups, were measured and compared after emergency PCI. Results The blood glucose levels were increased, ST-elevation 2 h after PCI were well declined, the percentages of patients with TMPG 2-3 were decreased and peak values of CK-MB were increased in the three groups (all P<0.01). After 12 months of follow-up, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that patients of three groups had significantly different cumulative non-events survival rates 〔89.3% (100/112) vs. 85.9% (110/128), 76.3% (83/108), P<0.05〕. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that steady high blood glucose were the independent predictor for the occurrence of MACE in patients undergoing PCI after adjusting for age and gender, and the risk of MACE was increased by 5.811 folds in SHG group as compared with normal group (P<0.01). Conclusions Stress-induced hyperglycemia in elderly patients with STEMI can decrease myocardial perfusion level after primary PCI, which will lead to high incidence of MACE. Key words: Hyperglycemia; Myocardial infarction; Angioplasty, transluminal, percutaneous coronary; Prognosis

Efficacy and Safety of Intracoronary versus Intravenous Administration of Tirofiban during Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

BackgroundPercutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is known as the most effective treatment for acute coronary syndrome (ACS). However, without proper therapy and patient management, stent thrombosis after PCI may lead to another myocardial infarction. In addition to aspirin and clopidogrel, tirofiban is often used as an antiplatelet therapy in patients with ACS. To date, there has been no comprehensive evaluation of the efficacy and safety of intracoronary (IC) tirofiban administration for ACS patients undergoing PCI compared with intravenous (IV) administration. Therefore, this meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the clinical efficiency and safety of IC versus intravenous (IV) tirofiban in ACS patients undergoing PCI.MethodsWe searched PubMed and Medline for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing IC versus IV administration of tirofiban in ACS patients undergoing PCI. We evaluated the effects of tirofiban on thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) grade 3 flow after PCI, TIMI myocardial perfusion grade 3 (TMP grade 3), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), target vessel revascularization (TVR), death, reinfarction and adverse drug effects (specifically bleeding events).ResultsSeven trials involving 1,027 patients were included in this meta-analysis. IC administration of tirofiban significantly increased TIMI grade 3 flow (OR 2.11; 95% CI 1.02 to 4.37; P = 0.04) and TMP grade 3 (OR 2.67; 95% CI 1.09 to 6.49; P = 0.03, I2 = 64%) while reducing MACE (OR 0.46, 95% CI: 0.28 to 0.75; P = 0.002) compared with IV administration of tirofiban. No significant differences were observed in the occurrence of TVR, death, reinfarction and the incidence of bleeding events between the two groups.ConclusionsThis meta-analysis supports the use of IC over IV administration of tirofiban in patients with ACS to improve TIMI flow, TMP flow and MACE. However, there was no statistically significant difference in the risk of bleeding complications between the two groups.

Influence of Tirofiban maintenance duration on patients with acute myocardial infarction treated by percutaneous coronary intervention

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and short term prognosis of Tirofiban in different treatment duration in patients with acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) combined with intracoronary injection. MethodsA total of 125 patients with acute STEMI were enrolled in this study. They were randomly divided into two groups: control group (n = 61) and Tirofiban group (n = 64). The Tirofiban was used by intracoronary and intravenous administration in Tirofiban group which was randomly divided into three sub-groups according to the duration of Tirofiban by persistent intravenous injection for 12 hours, 24 hours or 36 hours. Thrombolysis in myocardial infarction flow and myocardial perfusion grades were recorded immediately after PCI. The adverse cardiac events and cardiac death within 180 days of PCI, and the adverse effects (hemorrhage and thrombocytopenia) were compared between the two groups and within Tirofiban sub-groups. ResultsGrade 3 in myocardial perfusion was significantly better in Tirofiban group than control group (85.94% vs. 72.13%, P = 0.03) after PCI. There was one cardiac death in control group in 180 days after PCI. The adverse cardiac event rates between two groups was significant difference (16 patients in control group and only 8 in Tirofiban group, P = 0.047). There was no significant difference in incidence of hemorrhage complications and platelet counts between two groups. Nevertheless, hemorrhage complications in the 12- and 24-hour subgroups were less than 36-hour subgroup (P = 0.01). ConclusionsIntravenous Tirofiban treatment reduced the adverse cardiac events and improved short term prognosis without increasing the adverse reactions of the drugs in patients undergoing PCI. The less rate of hemorrhage complication can be achieved in short-duration of Tirofiban by intravenous injection after PCI.

Thrombolysis-facilitated primary percutaneous coronary intervention as a therapeutic approach to stent thrombosis.

Stent thrombosis is a clinically significant event occurring days to weeks or, infrequently, months or years after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Current therapeutic approach is immediate PCI aimed to recanalize the occluded artery in order to restore flow and diminish irreversible myocardial damage. We evaluated the coronary patency, TIMI flow and TIMI myocardial perfusion grade (TMPG) in 6 patients presenting with STEMI due to stent thrombosis treated by thrombolysis followed by immediate PCI. These were compared with control patients treated conventionally by primary PCI. Immediate or early coronary angiography in the treatment group showed good coronary flow in 5 of 6 implicated arteries, whereas immediate angiography in the control group demonstrated 8 completely occluded coronary arteries of 9 with stent thrombosis. The pre-intervention TIMI flow in the control study group was 0.2±0.5 (median-0), and TMPG was 0.1±0.3 (median-0) compared with 2.1±1.1 (median-2.3, p<0.001) and 1.8±1.0 (median-2, p<0.001) in the treatment group, respectively. This striking difference in the rate of coronary patency, pre-procedural TIMI flow and TMPG, however, did not translate into better cardiac function in the treatment group. These findings suggest that thrombolysis-facilitated PCI may confer benefit and need not be considered contraindicated when treating stent thrombosis. This therapeutic approach should be evaluated as a viable therapeutic approach to stent thrombosis.

Direct stenting versus pre-dilation in ST-elevation myocardial infarction: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

This study aimed at comparing direct stenting (DS) versus stenting with pre-dilation (SP) in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), using a systematic review and meta-analysis of published evidence. There is conflicting evidence whether stenting strategy impacts clinical outcomes in patients with STEMI. We searched EMBASE, MEDLINE, and CENTRAL, from inception to December 2014. The primary endpoint was mortality. Secondary endpoints included major adverse cardiac events (MACEs), ST-segment resolution, and angiographic outcomes. A total of 9,331 patients enrolled in 12 studies (3 randomized controlled trials, RCTs; 9 non-randomized studies, NRSs) were included. DS was associated with lower mortality (OR 0.55; 95%CI: 0.33-0.94; P = 0.03) in NRSs, and overall (OR 0.56; 95%CI: 0.37-0.86; P = 0.008). Mortality was non-significantly reduced in RCTs (OR 0.56; 95%CI: 0.26-1.23; P = 0.15). DS was also associated with lower MACE rate (OR 0.71; 95%CI 0.60-0.84; P < 0.0001) in NRSs, but not in RCTs (OR 0.99; 95%CI: 0.61-1.60; P = 0.96). ST-segment resolution, no reflow, final thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) flow and final TIMI myocardial perfusion or blush grade were significantly better with DS in NRSs, and non-significantly better in RCTs. The available evidence suggests that DS in STEMI might be associated with better clinical and procedural outcomes, as compared with SP. However, the fact that RCTs account for the minority of available data and that most of the available studies poorly reflect current clinical practice, as well as the existence of publication bias, preclude drawing definitive conclusions.

Intracoronary epinephrine in the treatment of refractory no-reflow after primary percutaneous coronary intervention: a retrospective study.

BackgroundDespite the advances in medical and interventional treatment modalities, some patients develop epicardial coronary artery reperfusion but not myocardial reperfusion after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), known as no-reflow. The goal of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of intracoronary epinephrine in reversing refractory no-reflow during primary PCI.MethodsA total of 248 consecutive STEMI patients who had undergone primary PCI were retrospectively evaluated. Among those, 12 patients which received intracoronary epinephrine to treat a refractory no-reflow phenomenon were evaluated. Refractory no-reflow was defined as persistent TIMI flow grade (TFG) ≤2 despite intracoronary administration of at least one other pharmacologic intervention. TFG, TIMI frame count (TFC), and TIMI myocardial perfusion grade (TMPG) were recorded before and after intracoronary epinephrine administration.ResultsA mean of 333 ± 123 mcg of intracoronary epinephrine was administered. No-reflow was successfully reversed with complete restoration of TIMI 3 flow in 9 of 12 patients (75%). TFG improved from 1.33 ± 0.49 prior to epinephrine to 2.66 ± 0.65 after the treatment (p < 0.001). There was an improvement in coronary flow of at least one TFG in 11 (93%) patients, two TFG in 5 (42%) cases. TFC decreased from 56 ± 10 at the time of no-reflow to 19 ± 11 (p < 0.001). A reduction of TMPG from 0.83 ± 0.71 to 2.58 ± 0.66 was detected after epinephrine bolus (p < 0.001). Epinephrine administration was well tolerated without serious adverse hemodynamic or chronotropic effects. Intracoronary epinephrine resulted in significant but tolerable increase in heart rate (68 ± 13 to 95 ± 16 beats/min; p < 0.001) and systolic blood pressure (94 ± 18 to 140 ± 20; p < 0.001). Hypotension associated with no-reflow developed in 5 (42%) patients. During the procedure, intra-aortic balloon pump counterpulsation was required in two (17%) patients, transvenous pacing in 2 (17%) cases, and both intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation and transvenous pacing in one (8%) patients. One patient (8%) died despite all therapeutic measures.ConclusionIntracoronary epinephrine may become an effective alternative in patients suffering refractory no-reflow following primary PCI.

The Impact of Coronary Flow Grade after Primary PCI on Global Longitudinal Left Ventricular Strain as Measured by Speckle Tracking Compared to Two-Dimensional Echo

The Impact of Coronary Flow Grade after Primary PCI on Global Longitudinal Left Ventricular Strain as Measured by Speckle Tracking Compared to Two-Dimensional Echo Aim: Identify the impact of coronary flow on GLPS after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Background: Left ventricular global longitudinal peak systolic strain (GLPS) was previously demonstrated to be related to outcome after acute myocardial infarction, however its relation to myocardial epicardial flow and microvascular flow were not studied before. Methods: We compared the left ventricular function in 75 consecutive patients admitted to coronary care unit with first acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) using: speckle tracking derived GLPS and two dimensional echo. Then we assessed the relation between GLPS and myocardial flow. Results: Mean global longitudinal left ventricular strain was -13.26 ± 2.97% in TIMI flow 3 group of patients compared to -11.807 ± 1.08% in Thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI II) group. (p-value=0.01876). With longitudinal strain improved as better coronary flow was established as determined by TIMI myocardial perfusion (TMP) grades. There was no statistically significant difference between ejection fraction percent and segmental wall motion score index in patients with TIMI II or TIMI III flow. Conclusion: GLPS can detect early and minor changes in longitudinal LV function due to ischemia in absence of any appreciable abnormalities recognized on two dimensional echocardiographic examination. In addition the degree of change of GLPS is strongly correlated to the degree of epicardial and microvascular flow

Comparison of primary coronary percutaneous coronary intervention between Diabetic Men and Women with acute myocardial infarction.

Objective:This study aimed to explore the short-term efficacy and safety of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in female diabetic patients complicated with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).Methods:A total of 169 diabetic patients with AMI who underwent primary PCI were selected and divided into group A (52 females) and group B (117 males). The clinical data, characteristics of coronary artery lesions, lengths of hospital stay, and incidences of complications were then compared between two groups.Results:The average age, history of hyperlipidemia, double branch lesions, triple branch lesions, and left main lesions were significantly higher in group A than in group B (P < 0.05). Smoking history, PCI history, and pre-infarction angina were distinctly lower in group A than in group B (P < 0.05). Thrombolysis in myocardial infarction 3 (TIMI3) flow and TIMI myocardial perfusion grade 3 (TMPG3) after PCI were markedly lower in group A than in group B (P < 0.001). Group A had a higher incidence of complications, such as severe arrhythmia, cardiac function Killip III/IV, cardiogenic shock, major, moderate and mild bleed event, as well as a 30-day mortality rate, compared with group B (P < 0.05).Conclusion:In summary, our study demonstrated that female diabetic patients with AMI had lower TIMI3 flow and TMPG3 following PCI than male patients, while there was higher incidence of complications and 30-day mortality rate. Therefore, more attention should be paid to the therapy of diabetic women with acute myocardial infarction as well as the control of risk factors.

Effect of intracoronary anisodamine and diltiazem administration during primary percutaneous coronary intervention in acute myocardial infarction.

The aim of this study was to examine the role of intracoronary anisodamine and diltiazem administration performed before stenting on the immediate angiographic and clinical outcome in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). STEMI patients during primary PCI were randomized to two bolus injections of intracoronary anisodamine (1 mg/5 ml) and diltiazem (2 mg/5 ml) (COM group, n=54) or saline (5 ml) and diltiazem (2 mg/5 ml) (diltiazem group, n=54) before stenting. The primary endpoint was the incidence of no/slow reflow [thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) flow grade≤2] immediately after stenting. TIMI myocardial perfusion grade and corrected TIMI frame count were assessed. The secondary endpoints were major adverse cardiac events including death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and target vessel revascularization. The percent of TIMI flow grade 3 was found to be higher in the COM group than in the diltiazem group (92.6 vs. 75.9%, P=0.032). The percent of TIMI myocardial perfusion grade 3 was 46.3% in the diltiazem group and improved in the COM group (68.5%, P=0.032). Corrected TIMI frame count was significantly lower in the COM group than in the diltiazem group (P<0.0001). The COM group showed low incidences of bradyarrhythmia and rapid arrhythmia (7.4 vs. 24.1% and 3.7 vs. 18.5%, respectively, P=0.032, P=0.029). In addition, there were no significant differences in the secondary outcome measures. Intracoronary anisodamine and diltiazem administration before stenting improved the angiographic results and prevented reperfusion arrhythmia in patients with STEMI undergoing PCI.

Abstract 17488: Effect of Cocaine on Coronary Microvasculature

Background: Presence of coronary microvascular dysfunction despite normal epicardial coronary arteries is known to significantly impact mortality and morbidity. With the increasing number of cocaine users among urban population, it is imperative to assess its effect on the coronary microvasculature. Method: In this blinded, retrospective study, microvascular dysfunction was assessed using corrected Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) frame count (cTFC) and TIMI perfusion grade (TMPG), in an available consecutive series of 202 cocaine users in the absence of acute or recent MI, significant epicardial coronary artery disease (CAD) or vasospasm, among the 775 cocaine users who underwent coronary angiography at Mount Sinai Hospital, Chicago from 2005 to 2013. Applying the same criteria, the cTFCs and TMPGs were then compared with 210 randomly chosen non-cocaine users. Angiographers were blinded when determining the cTFC and TMPG. Results: The TMPG 0/1 for the left anterior descending (LAD), circumflex (LCx), and right coronary (RCA) arteries were statistically significant among cocaine users (LAD 22% versus 5%, p=&lt;0.0001; LCx 25% versus 6%, p=&lt;0.0001; RCA 42% versus 8%, p=&lt;0.0001). For the cTFC, the LAD and LCx were significantly elevated among cocaine users (27.33 ± 10.9 versus 24.88 ± 10.05, p=0.03 and 41.11 ± 14.28 versus 38.23 ± 12.69, p=0.04; respectively). Additionally, there was a significant percentage of cocaine users with cTFC&lt;14 (i.e. faster flow) observed in the RCA (9% versus 3%; p=0.008). Conclusion: Our study concludes that there is significant coronary microvascular dysfunction associated with cocaine use despite the absence of significant epicardial CAD. Additionally, reduced coronary filling time might be the reason for the observed higher frequency of hyperemic flow in the RCA among cocaine users, which is associated with poorer clinical outcomes, particularly in the context of impaired myocardial perfusion.